Ada Blackjack: A True Story of Survival in the Arctic

Jennifer Niven's "Ada Blackjack" recounts the astonishing true story of Ada Blackjack, a young Inuit woman who became the sole survivor of an ill-fated expedition to colonize remote Wrangel Island in the Arctic in the early 20th century. After her four male companions succumbed to the harsh conditions, Ada, initially unprepared for the wilderness, learned to hunt, trap, and endure the extreme environment for two years. Drawing on historical diaries and interviews, this book offers a poignant and empowering look at human resilience, the unforgiving beauty of the Arctic, and the strength of an ordinary woman thrust into extraordinary circumstances. It is suitable for middle-grade and young adult readers interested in history, survival stories, and biographies.

An account of a young Inuit woman's ordeal alone on a remote, uninhabited Arctic island describes the efforts of Ada Blackjack and her four male companions to colonize desolate Wrangel Island, the deaths of her associates, her struggle to survive, and her eventual return to civilization, drawing on never-before-seen diaries and interviews with Ada's surviving son. Reprint. 40,000 first printing.